


Goodbye, Ruby Gillis

by carrotsblythe



Category: Anne of Green Gables (TV 1985) & Related Fandoms, Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, also a marriage proposal of sorts?, also i dont know what consumption is and i was too lazy to google it so that might be inaccurate too, also this is a shirbert story i swear, gilbert promises something uwu, i cried writing this just a heads up, im not religoius so sorry for inaccuracies, rubys death is the saddest part of anne of the island, these tags suck but the story is better??? maybe???, updated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 12:18:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16367648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrotsblythe/pseuds/carrotsblythe
Summary: Ruby Gillis was dying.She did not care about dibs anymore.





	Goodbye, Ruby Gillis

Ruby Gillis was dying. 

 

She knew- she had known for a long time. She was far too weak to stand, and she had been confined to her bed on doctors orders for nearly a month. She had a coughing fit every few minutes, and the worst of them would result in her coughing up blood on to her pillow, which she would have to hide from her mother when she came upstairs to see if she was alright. 

 

The worst part about dying was knowing how incredibly pointless some of the most important parts of your life had been. 

 

Ruby did not care about dibs anymore. 

 

In truth, she had not felt anything but friendship towards Gilbert in years, but the little girl in her still held onto the childish hope that one day he would change his mind and declare his undying love for her. 

 

One evening in late summer, Mr Gillis sat at his daughter's bedside. Ruby had always been his favourite daughter, even more so now that she was in the house with him all of the time instead of going out to parties and balls. He was telling her of all the good she will do when she goes to teach at the White Sands school when she gets better. 

 

 _If I get better,_ Ruby thought bitterly, and said nothing. Nobody would ever tell her to her face that she was dying. They all continued their lives as normal, pretending that everything was fine. To Ruby, it was like they did not care enough to grieve. 

 

"Father, will you do something for me?" she asked.

 

"Anything, my darling. What is it you need?" 

 

"Could you ask Gilbert Blythe to come and see me this evening? Or at least very soon?" Ruby begged. 

 

"Now, now, Ruby... You are not well. You couldn't possibly have suitors round at a time like this-" her father began. 

 

"I only want to talk to him father," Ruby insisted. "Everyone knows his interests lay _elsewhere_ ,"

 

Her father managed a small smile at this, and said; "Anything for you, Ruby,"

 

He kissed her forehead, and left her bedroom, where Ruby remained patiently for hours until Gilbert came to see her that evening. 

 

"Good evening, Ruby," Gilbert said shakily, and Ruby knew that he had just noticed how sickly she looked. Her eyes were hollow, her skin was sheet white and she had never been so skinny in all of her life. 

 

She did not have long left. 

 

Gilbert sat on the chair beside her bed, where her father had been sitting earlier in the day.

 

"You wanted to speak to me," he said softly. 

 

Ruby sighed. "I want to know, if I were to survive-"

 

"Oh, Ruby-" Gilbert began. 

 

"Don't fret, Gilbert, its only hypothetical. I know I'm going to die. Nobody will tell me so, but it is true isn't it? You are the doctor, after all,"

 

Gilbert nodded sadly. "I'm afraid it is not looking very promising, Ruby,"

 

"If I were to live, then," she began again. "Would you ever consider marrying me?" 

 

Gilbert was shocked. Of all of the things he had expected to hear when Mr Gillis had told him that Ruby wanted to speak with him, a marriage proposal- from a _girl_ \- was not one of them. 

 

"I- you know that I couldn't. I'm sorry," he stuttered. 

 

"Don't be sorry, Gilbert. I _did_ know- only the girl in me had to ask,"

 

Gilbert shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure of what to say next.

 

"Was there anything else you wanted to speak to me about?" he asked nervously. 

 

"Yes, actually," Ruby said. "Did you ever know why Anne wouldn't talk to you on the day you came back to school? Or why she would never talk to you at school at all, even though you were friends?" 

 

"I thought it was because I had done something wrong, but I could never figure out what it was," Gilbert said quietly. 

 

"It was all my fault. I had called "dibs" on you three years before Anne came to Avonlea. Josie Pye had forbidden all of the other girls to talk to you for that reason. That is why Anne was excluded form eating with us that lunchtime- because she had told you her name! It all seems so silly now, though it _was_ all Josie's idea. I felt so _awful_ about it, but I couldn't say no to Josie. So when Anne hit you with her slate, I couldn't help but feel it was my fault,"

 

Gilbert sat still for a moment. "I never should have called her carrots,"

 

"Perhaps not," Ruby agreed with him. "But I should have never came between you two,"

 

They sat quietly for a while, before Gilbert stood up to leave. 

 

"Gilbert?" she asked, and he turned around. 

 

"Yes?"  

 

"I don't care about dibs anymore," she hinted. 

 

Gilbert smiled softly. "Goodbye, Ruby," 

 

* * *

 

Anne felt extremely guilty that she had dreaded meeting with Ruby so much. 

 

Ever since they had been in Queen's together, Anne had become very irritated when in Ruby's presence. All she ever talked (more accurately, boasted) about was beaux, and Anne preferred conversation topics with a little more _substance_. Ruby had always been this way- it was inevitable that she would end up like this. 

 

Anne had heard that Ruby was unwell. Twice, to be precise. The first time was from Mrs Lynde, who had come barging into Green Gables to declare that Ruby Gillis was dying of galloping consumption. Anne had assumed that Mrs Lynde was exaggerating things as usual, and a chat with Ruby's older sister Susan later told her that Ruby had a slight head cold and she would be fully recovered very shortly. 

 

After seeing Ruby, she knew that Mrs Lynde had been right. Either the Gillis' were blind on the matter, or they were all putting on brave faces, something Anne could understand.

 

She immediately wished that she had come to visit Ruby sooner, and not waited until Ruby's father had arrived at her door that morning and told her that she wished to meet with her as soon as possible. She did not have much longer with Ruby, that was certain. 

 

Anne refused to let Ruby know that she was dying, so she started a friendly conversation, filled with nostalgia and laughter, which was interrupted every so often with a coughing fit from Ruby, and she had to take several minutes between each one in order to catch her breath. 

 

"Anne, there is a reason I asked you to come and speak to me this evening," Ruby confessed. "I have something I need to tell you,"

 

"What's wrong, Ruby?" Anne asked worriedly.

 

"When I die-"

 

"Oh, Ruby!" Anne cried. "You mustn't think like that!"

 

"But I am dying, Anne! I can feel it. I am sure I will be buried in that graveyard before the summer is over. Don't feel sorry for me, please, Anne. I couldn't bear it if you looked at me with pity. 

 

Anne swallowed any further attempts to make Ruby feel hopeful, knowing they would all be in vain. "What did you want to ask me?" she asked instead. 

 

"When I die," Ruby repeated. "I want you to know that there is nothing to stop you from being with Gilbert,"

 

"Being with... Gilbert?" Anne gasped in shock. "Ruby, I-"

 

"I don't care about dibs anymore, Anne. I think I've always known that he would never love me, even in school. I moved on years ago, but I think you've always been hesitant towards him because of a silly schoolgirl rule, and I don't want to hold you back any longer,"

 

"Gilbert!" Anne gasped again. "You think I like _Gilbert!"_

 

"I'm half-dead and I can still see that you like him. Don't act so surprised, everyone knows that he plans on proposing to you any day now. Surely you must have noticed?"

 

"I-but... _What?"_

 

"That's all I wanted to tell you, Anne," Ruby said. "And I told Gilbert the same thing yesterday,"

 

"You told Gilbert!" Anne exclaimed. "Ruby Gillis, why did you do such a thing?"

 

"He deserved to know, Anne, and so did you," Ruby said. 

 

They sat in silence for a while as Anne contemplated everything she had just been told, until Ruby started sobbing. 

 

"I'm afraid to die, Anne," 

 

"Why?" Anne asked softly.

 

"I know that heaven will be lovely. I have no doubt that is where I will be going very soon. But it won't be the same as what I'm used to. I will miss all of the parties and the laughter and the fun,"

 

Anne took Ruby's hand, and held it in her own. 

 

"I think most people have the wrong idea of heaven. I think there will be fun and laughter, and it won't be that much different from home at all,"

 

Ruby stopped snivelling, and processed the idea in her head. 

 

"Thank you, Anne. I'm glad to have gotten that off of my chest. Did you know that you are the only one I've told that to- not even the minister, because I feared that he would be offended if I told him that. But I'm not finished living! I've never been married, and never had children. You know more than anyone how I've longed to have children, and now it will never happen. Did you know that Jerry Baynard proposed to me last week and I had to turn him down because I knew that I would never live to see the wedding," Ruby started hysterically sobbing again. 

 

"Oh, Ruby," Anne said sympathetically, stroking Ruby's hair until she stopped crying. "There is always hope whilst you're still breathing,"

 

"You were always my favourite, Anne. At school, I mean," Ruby sniffed. 

 

It was then that Anne saw the time on the clock, and realised she had to get home to Green Gables. 

 

"You will come back to see me tomorrow, Anne?" Ruby asked. 

 

"Of course I will," Anne said. 

 

When Anne disappeared, Ruby lay down on her bed and closed her eyes, content in knowing that one day, Anne would realise what everyone else already knew.

 

It would surprise no one to know that the last thing Ruby thought of was true love.

 

* * *

 

"I cant believe she's gone," Anne said quietly to Gilbert, when they were left alone together in the graveyard after Ruby's funeral. They sat on a stone bench beside her grave, which read the inscription:

 

_Ruby Gillis_

_1865-1884_

_Beloved daughter, sister and friend_

_She will be missed by all who knew her, and we hope our darling angel will find the peace she deserves in heaven_

 

"Me neither," Gilbert said. "I heard you were the last one to see her before she passed away,"

 

Anne cringed at the thought of that particular conversation. 

 

"Yes, I suppose I was. She wasn't making much sense when she spoke to me,"

 

"Really?" he asked. 

 

"She only told me about the silly rules we had in school," Anne said. "She said she spoke to you the day before."

 

Gilbert was not eager to share the full details of his last conversation with Ruby to Anne. "She apologised for a "dibs" rule that you girls used to have about me. She said it was her fault that you hit me with your slate,"

 

"I can't believe she thought that! It was _my_ fault-"

 

"It was my fault, really," Gilbert interjected. "I wouldn't leave you alone all day, and I was the one who called you _carrots_ ,"

 

"But I am the one who needs to learn to control my temper!" Anne argued. 

 

"Its water under the bridge," Gilbert said calmly, doing his best to avoid an argument on the day of their dear friend's funeral. 

 

"It could be any one of us next," Anne whispered after a while. 

 

"That is incredibly morbid, Anne," Gilbert said. 

 

"But just look at Ruby! I always thought she would live to be married and have children like she always wanted. I guess we never know when we will go to heaven. I have no fear that anyone I love will go anywhere else, but I am afraid that I will be left here without them. Matthew is already gone, and so is Ruby. What if next its Marilla? Or Jane or Cole or Diana?" Anne paused, taking a shaky breath. "Or you?"

 

"You mustn't worry about such things, Anne," Gilbert said comfortingly. Something about Gilbert was always, and will always be, comforting. "God knows what he is doing when he brings someone to heaven,"

 

Anne sits quietly. "I know," she sighed.

 

"Besides, I won't ever leave you," he said solemnly. 

 

"You can't promise that, Gil," Anne whimpered. 

 

"Yes I can," he said. "I _promise_ that I will be here for as long as you want me,"

 

"Good," said Anne, slightly more cheerily. "Then you shall never leave my side for as long as I live,"

 

"I won't," he smiled. 

 

Anne may not have realised, but Gilbert did. She included his name in a list of people she loved. 

 

He kept his promise. 


End file.
